Alarm-clock.



G. L. WILLlTS.

ALARM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED am. 9. 1916.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

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G. L. WILLITS.

ALARM CLOCK. APPLICATION FILED OCT- 9. 1916. I

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ALARM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 9. ISIS.

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GUY L. WILLITS, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

ALARM-encore.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 30, 1918.

Application filed October 9, 1916. Serial No. 124,472;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUY L. VVILLrrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarm- Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to alarm clocks and has for its object to provide an alarm clock which may be set fora number of difierent rings to cause the alarm to be successively released and stopped at the desired instances without requiring resetting orrewinding of the alarm after each ring. In carrying out my invention 1 provide an arm attached to the hour-hand sleeve of the clock having pivoted to it a lever which may successively engage each of a number of pegs insertible in any of a number of holes arranged circumferentially about the hour-hand sleeve. .Vith said lever is associated mechanism for releasing the alarm when said lever engages any one of the pegs, thereby causing the alarm to be sounded every time the hourhand passes a peg and for thereafter stopping the alarm each time said lever passes a peg after the alarm has rung for a predetermined short interval of time.

The full objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, illustrating the application of my invention in one form,

Figure 1 is a front view of a clock with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. l with the case and dial plate removed to show the operating mechanism beneath the same. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification of the device shown therein.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the case shown in Fig. 1 with a different arrangement of the peripheral peg holes. Fig. 5 is a view of a lever for use with the device shown in Fig. a. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a modification of some of the parts shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of a modification ofmy invention. Fig. 8 is sectional view on line 88 of Fig. 7 drawn to a larger scale. Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 7 similar to Fig. 8. Fig. 10 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 7 of a modification of the invention. Fig. 11 is a plan view of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 18 are fragmentary views of modifications of the invention similar to Fig. 7. Fig. 1 1 is an enlarged sectional view on line 14-1 of Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a view of a modification of the invention similar to Fig. 8. Fig. 16 is a view of a modification of the invention similar to Fig. 2.

My invention may easily be applied to any of the ordinary alarm clocks now in use with but little alteration. One such clock is illustrated in the drawings, the operating parts of which are especially well shown in Figs. 7 and 8. A frame 10 has pivoted to it at one end a shaft 11 on which is mounted a spiral spring 12. A train of gearing 13, let, 15, 16 and corresponding pinions drives a minute hand spindle 17, a spindle 18, the use of which will be later explained, and an escapement mechanism 19 in the usual manner. Upon the minute-hand spindle 17 is mounted an hour-hand sleeve 20 which is operated through a set of reduction gears 21 from the spindle 17 independent of the driving gearing. An alarm mechanism 22 comprises an oscillating lever 23 pivoted to frame 10 and provlded at one end with a hammer 24 adapted to engage a gong 25 secured to the back of the clock and provided at the other end with a forked portion 26 by means of which said lever is operated through a toothed wheel 27 mounted on a spindle 39 which is driven in the usual manner.

The case for my clock and the manner .of

attaching it to the clock mechanism is best comprehended from Figs. 1 and 7. An annularmember 28 is bolted to frame 10 and supports an outer casing member 30 which is secured thereto by screws 31. Casing member 30 has secured to it a pair of legs 32 and a handle 33 and is adapted to exhibit a dial 3% and clock hands 35 and 36. Near the outer periphery of case 30 is arranged circumferentially about the hand spindles a number of holes 37 which are spaced equidistant andwhichcorrespond to regular di isions of time indicated on the dial. In the clock illustrated, a hole is provided to correspond to each five minute mark on the hour-hand scale for all the twelve hours indicated on the dial, making total of one hundred and forty four holes. in any of said holes may be inserted a peg 38 which extends through the said case and into the space between said case and member 28, where the same be engaged to release the alarm locking device in a manner to be presently explained.

in the form of the invention shown in Fig. 2 the alarm mechanism is locked as follows: A. lever 40 is pivoted to frame 10 and terminates in a nose 41 which is engaged by a toothed wheel 42 to cause said lever to oscillate on its pivot against the action of a spring 700 as the wheel 42 is given a steg-by-step rotation. An ear 48, formed on lever 40, engages the end of an arm 44 which is secured to the alarm spindle 89 and serves to trip said arm and release the alarm mechanism whenever the wheel 42 is given a part of a turn. Wheel 42 is rotatably mounted upon the hour-hand sleeve 20 and has rigidly secured to it ratchet wheel 45 by means of which said wheel is operated to actuate the alarmreleasing mechanism.

Upon the hour-hand sleeve 20 is rigidly mounted an arm 46 to the end of which is pivoted a bell-crank lever 47. (inc end of this lever is formed with a cam surface 48 which is adapted to engage pegs 38 as arm 46 rotates with the hour-hand sleeve 20, and.

so causes said lever to be oscillated therewith. To the other end of lever 47 is pivoted a dog 49 to which is secured one end of a spring 50, the other end of which is attached to an extension 51 of arm 46. Dog 49 is adapted to engage ratchet wheel 45 and is held in engagement therewith by spring 50, which also serves to return arm after the same has been oscillated through cam 48 and one of the pegs 38, and in so doing causes the ratchet wheel 45 to be rotated and the alarm mechanism to be released. It will be noted that arm 47 operates wheel 42 to cause lever 40 to oscillate and to be immediately returned. This has the effect of releasing arm 44 and of bringing ear 43 back in place before said arm has made a complete revolution. In this manner the alarm wheel 27 is permitted to make a single revolution and is then stopped, so that the alarm does not need to be wound up after every ring. In order to prevent pawl 49 from dragging on ratchet wheel 45 when the hour-hand is rotating and the lever 47 disengaged said pawl is provided with a humped portion 52 which engages a pin 53 in arm 46 at the end of the release stroke of lever 47 and so withdraws said pawl from engagement with said ratchet.

In some instances lug 43 may fail to be returned quickly enough to stop spindle 39 after the same has made a single revolution. This difiiculty may be overcome by the mechanism shown in Fig. 6. On spindle 39 is mounted a wheel 98 provided with a single tooth 99. A lever 100 is pivoted to an arm 101 formed on frame 10. This lever is operated the same as lever 40, through ratchet wheel 42 and has a forked portion 102 at its eXtremeend which serves in conjunction with tooth 99 as an escapement device and permits spindle 39 to make only one revolution for each complete oscillation of lever 100, since one of the prongs of said member is always in the path of movement of tooth 99.

The tooth wheel 42 and lever 40, shown is formed with a cam surface at 104 which is engaged by arm 44 to cause nose 41 to be withdrawn from notch 702 as the alarm rings. A spring 105 acting between frame 10 and an arm 106 secured to ratchet wheel 45 serves to return wheel 42 to its normal position upon the withdrawal of nose 41. The motion of wheel 42 is terminated by means of a stop 107 against which the arm 106 abuts. In this device the arm 44 is also permitted to make but a single revolution and a minimum force is required to operate the releasing levers.

A substitute for the operating lever of the device shown in Fig. 2 is shown in Fig.

8. The ratchet wheel of said device is supplanted by a gear 54 which meshes with a number of inter-meshing gears 55 and 56, all pivoted to arm 46. The last of these gears 56 is adapted to mesh with the pe 's 38 extending through case 30 which form an incomplete internal gear. As arm 46 rotates with the hour-hand, gear 56 is given a rotation relative to gear 54, and the alarm trip mechanism operated in the aforementioned manner every time said gear 56 en- 110 counters one of the pegs 38.

When a clock with a relatively small case 1s employed, or when a great number of holes are used, I find it advisable to arrange the holes in two or more circles. in Fig.4 the holes are arranged in three circles 57,

58 and 59. It will be noted that the number of holes per circle are reduced to onethird while each hole is situated on the some radius as would have been the case in Fig. 1. In this manner a greater space is left between the individual holes, which permits of easier manipulation of the pegs and of greater accuracy of operation of the mechanism. rows of pegs I modify the lever 47 as shown in Fig. 5. In place of the cam surface 48 I provide three triangular cam lugs 60, 61 and 62, which engage the pegs in rows 59,

58 and 57, respectively. These lugs are 130 When 8 0 In conjunction with the three raised above the level of arm 47 so that the pegs will pass over said arm unobstructed after the same have engaged the respective cam lugs. It hence becomes evident that each row of pegs independently engages the corresponding cam lug and so causes the release mechanism to be operated.

Another form of release mechanism is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. A sleeve 63 is secured to the hour-hand sleeve 20, spaced from gears 21, and is formed with an arm 6% protruding therefrom. Attached to the 'zframe 10 at 65 is a spring member 66 which is looped about the hour-hand sleeve 20 at 67 between gears 21 and sleeve 63 and extends beyond the same and terminates in a downwardly-projecting portion 68, as best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. On frame 10 at 69 is pivoted a bell-crank lever 7 O which is provided at one end with a hook 71 adapted to engage a lug 72 on the end of member 26 to arrest the motion of the same. Said bellcrank is perforated at its other end 7a to permit the spring member 68 to pass through the same. Upon spindle 18 is mounted a toothed wheel 73 whose teeth are shaped like ratchet teeth. The end 74 of lever is positioned in proximity to the periphery of wheel 73 and the spring 66 is so arranged as to normally take an upward position, as shown in Fig. 9, with portion 67 seated against a washer 75 loosely mounted on sleeve 20 and with portion 68 just clearing the top of wheel 73. When washer 75 is forced downward by means to be presently described, spring portion 68 is caused to descend into the space between the teeth on wheel 73 at the roots thereof. As this wheel revolves constantly, since its spindle is included in the principal gear train which operates the escapement, the end 68 of the spring is caused to ride upon one of the teeth of said wheel and to be gradually forced outward carrying with it bell-crank lever 70. When spring 68 is forced out sufficiently, the alarm mechanism 22 is released through hook 71 and lug 7 2 and the alarm continues to ring until spring 68 passes the apex of the tooth on wheel 73 and drops back into the adjacent cavity and returns to its normal position. It may be here stated that in case the spring 66 is depressed when portion 68 is in register with a tooth of wheel 73, instead of the space between two teeth, that said spring portion will merely ride upon the tooth until the wheel is sufficiently rotated and will then drop into the space, when the previously mentioned action will take place. No injury or distortion of this spring will be ellected since the same may easily be bent between portions 67 and 68, as will become evident from Fig. 7.

To the arm 64 is pivoted a lever 76 which is adapted to oscillate in the plane of rotation of said arm. The outer end of lever 76 is formed with three lugs or raised portions 77, 78 and 79, which may, respectively, engage the rows of pegs indicated in Fig. *l and slide by the same after said-lever has been oscillated the'desired amount. A spindle 80 is pivoted to the sleeve member 63 at 81 and has an upturned end 82 which extends up through a slot 86 in arm 64: and which is engaged by the end of lever 76. On each side of bearing portion 81 is securedto spindle 80 a cam member 83 which acts upon washer 75 and causes said washer and spring 66 tobe depressed as lever 76 is oscillated. In this manner the release of the alarm is brought about by the movement of lever 76 as the arm 64 rotates with the hour-hand of the clock.

Instead of employing the toothed wheel 7 3 for releasing the alarm mechanism, the same may be done by a single trip lever, as indicated in Fig. 13. Here a leaf'spring 84 is secured to frame 10 and directly engages member 26 through a bent-up portion 85. The sleeve 20 passes through this spring which is directly acted upon by washer 7 5, so that as said washer is depressed the alarm mechanism is released. If desiredthe end of lever 76 may be bent out at right angles thereto as shown in Fig. 10and the same may be adapted for use with a single circle of pegs.

A number of difl'erent devicesmay be sub stituted for the lever 82 and the cam mom-- bers 83, shown in Fig. 9. One such device is illustrated in Figs. 10 and 11. Arm 64 is in this case extended beyond sleeve 63 on both sides. Lever 76 is pivoted to the under side of arm 64 and is provided at the inner end with a U-shaped piece 87 formed with two wedge-shaped members 88. These members engage a convex washer 89 which is loosely mounted on sleeve 20 and rests upon the looped portion 67 of spring'66. When lever 76 is oscillated the wedges 88 are forced inward between the extended portions of arm 64 and the washer 89, thereby depressing spring 66 to release the alarm mechanism.

In Figs. 12 and 1 1 lever 76 is provided with a gear segment 90 which meshes with a gear 91 loosely mounted on sleeve 20. This latter gear has fixed to it a cam member 92 which engages a complemental cam member 93 formed on sleeve 63. As arm 76 oscillates, gear 91 is forced away from sleeve 63, causing spring 66 to be depressed as required.

Astill further modification of the release actuating mechanism isshown in Fig. 15. Arm 64 is formed with an upturned end 94L in which is slidably mounted a rod 95. One end of rod 95 is pivoted to a bellcra'nk 96 which in turn is pivoted to arm 64, and the other end is formed with an inclined cam surface 97 which causes said rod to be forced inward as the same engages one ofthe pegs 38. Lever 96 engages washer 75 and as rod .95 is reciprocated causes spring 66 to be depressed, to release the alarm mechanism as before specified. v

' The advantages of my invention are manifest. The pegs which serve to set the alarm may be all inserted at one time and will hence cause the alarm to successively ring at the desired times without further manipulation. The times for which the alarm is set are always visible and can be changed whenever it is desired. The hour and minute hands may be set without interfering with the alarm mechanism, or with the aforementioned pegs.

I claim:

llAn alarm clock comprising an alarm mechanism and a spindle carrying an hour hand, an arm secured to said spindle, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted on said spindle, a member mounted on said arm 'and adapted to have motion relatively thereto, a plurality of members adapted to be positioned in the path of said movable member to cause the same to impart a move ment of rotation to said toothed wheel, means operated by said toothed wheel for releasing the alarm, and means for stopping the alarm after a predetermined period of operation.

2. An alarm clock comprising an alarm mechanism and a spindle carrying an hour hand, an arm secured to said spindle, a toothed wheel mounted for rotation, a member mounted on said arm and adapted to move relatively thereto, a plurality of members adapted to be placed in desired positions in the path of said movable member to cause the sameto impart a movement of rotation to said toothed wheel, means operated by said toothed Wheel for releasing the alarm, and means associated with the alarm -mechanism for stopping it after a predetermined period of operation.

3. An alarm clock comprising an alarm mechanism and a spindle carrying an hour hand, an arm secured to said spindle, a toothed wheel rotatably mounted on said spindle, a member mounted on said arm for movementrelatively thereto, a plurality of members adapted to be placed in desired positions in the path of said movable member whereby movement thereof imparts a movement of rotation tosaid toothed wheel, a lever operated by said toothed wheel for releasing the alarm, a stop on said lever, and a member rotated by the alarm mechanism mes and which engages said stop afterone rocarrying an hour hand and means for driving the same, alarm mechanism, an arm secured to said hour-hand spindle, a member mounted on said arm and adapted to have motion relative thereto and to rotate with said arm and spindle, a plurality of members adapted to be placed in the path of movement of said member, each engaging said movable member and causing the same to move relative to the arm as the hourhand spindle rotates, a rotatable member mounted on said hour-hand spindle, a trip for releasing the alarm mechanism, means on said rotatable member for actuating the trig as said member is rotated and means connected with said movable member on the arm for operating said rotatable memher.

5. An alarm clock comprising a spindle carrying an hour hand and means for driving the same, an alarm mechanism, an arm secured to said hour-hand spindle, a lever pivoted to said arm, a plurality of members adapted to be engaged by one end of said leverto cause the same to oscillate as the spindle rotates, a ratchet wheel mounted on said spindle, a dog on said lever adapted to engage said ratchet wheel to cause the same to rotate, a trip for releasing said alarm mechanism, and means on said ratchet wheel for operating said trip as the wheel is rotated.

6. An alarm clock comprising a spindle carrying an hour-hand and means for driving the same, an alarm mechanism, an arm secured to said hour-hand spindle, a lever pivoted to said arm, a plurality of members adapted to be engaged by one end of said lever, a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted on said spindle, a dog on said lever adapted to engage said ratchet wheel, a toothed wheel secured to said ratchet wheel, a pivoted lever the movable end of which engages said toothed wheel, a projection on the last mentioned lever and an arm on the alarm spindle normally engaging said projection and released therefrom when said last mentioned lever is moved by said toothed wheel.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GUY L. XVILLITS.

Witnesses:

ALEX. LAGAARD, H. A. BOWMAN.

. Copies-of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatents,

Washington, D. 0. 

